The Liverpool View: Can music lessons make children smarter?

Fernand Gobet is a Professor of Decision Making and Expertise based in the University's Institute of Psychology, Health and Society. Giovanni Sala is a Cognitive Psychology PhD candidate based in the same institute. 'Music is one of the most beautiful and powerful creations of humankind, and its powers are well known - making us happy and sad or relaxed and excited. And more generally, music can induce powerful feelings - as Bono the lead singer of the band U2 put it, 'music can change the world because it can change people'. But how much is this really true? We often assume that encouraging a child to play a musical instrument or to listen to certain types of music will have a wider impact on more than just their musical taste. Parents, teachers and educators alike often believe that musical aptitude can help a child in other areas of life, and can facilitate the development of cognitive skills. Several studies have made the claim that music training enhances children's cognitive and academic skills.